References: Adapted from “Help!” in The Humongous Book of Children’s Messages published by Group Publishing, 2004

Message:

Welcome to the Children’s Message

Read: 1 Timothy 2:3-4

Attention Getter: Show lifesaving ring and ask “What is it? What is it used for?”

Explain: Today the lifesaving ring represents our Faith in Jesus Christ – everything we know and believe about Him and His gift of forgiveness and life to us.

Illustration Scenario (with volunteer mimes): One child will play a life guard holding the life ring and one child will play a swimmer. Prompt the children to mime the scenario as you tell a story about a swimmer that suddenly needs help because they are having trouble swimming. Ask the life guard what they will do to help the swimmer (they will probably toss the life ring to the swimmer). Affirm the life guard’s decision. Now go through the scenario again, but this time change the story so that the life guard is too busy to toss the ring or just doesn’t feel like helping the swimmer.

Question: What will happen to the swimmer if the life guard doesn’t toss them the life ring?

Reminder: The lifesaving ring for today represents our faith in Jesus Christ and everything we know about Him. The Bible verse for today says that Jesus wants everyone to be saved.

Questions: What if, in our lives, we hold onto our faith instead of sharing it with others? Why should we share our faith? Who should we share our faith with? Our friends?

Identify: Ask the children to think of at least one friend that they’d like to share their faith in Jesus Christ with. Ask them to keep this person in their minds and to pray for them daily.

Take Home: Give each child two Life Savers candies. Explain that the first one is to eat and to remind them of the friend they are praying for. The second candy is to give to their friend when they share their faith and explain that Jesus is our life saver.

Pray: Remember to pray for the friends each child has identified to share their faith with.